Masks
by NiHawks
Summary: No Summary, just short Tony Dinozzo story
1. Chapter 1

Masks

Anthony Dinozzo was a frat boy, ladies man and some may say spoilt rich boy who irritated men with his ability to flirt with all women without trouble, the women themselves fell under his charm without conscious thought, even those who would never consider pursuing anything with him could not say that they were upset with his behaviour. With all of his talents for annoying people, and there were many, they could all agree he was a good cop, despite their annoyance with him his fellow cops appreciated that he could and would get the job done and do it well.

Tony Dinozzo was a brilliant undercover cop; he could slip on the criminal mask with surprising ease for someone from such a privileged background. His colleagues did not realise this ability had been found at the age of four as a survival instinct and that the man they saw everyday was only another mask employed by him as a shield. The sad thing was that despite his obvious ability to hide not one person could see the mask for what it was, that not one of his team, through all the hours working together, would ever consider he was something more and therefore he moved jobs on a regular basis. Tony wanted to hide, needed to hide but deep down he also needed to be seen, not just the mask but him, when after two years they still treated him as a joke he moved on, until one person made him stop.

Leroy Jethro Gibbs was a gruff and angry Special Agent who saw Tony's ability as a cop within ten minutes of meeting him, and by the end of the case had offered him a job. Tony who had reached his two year limit moved to Washington considering it a short stop to another job, he didn't unpack not believing the former marine would ever keep him around for long, he realised he was an annoyance, was told many times before that he wasn't wanted and so he started work for NCIS whilst he updated his CV again.

A month into the new job and he knew for sure he wouldn't make six months, Gibbs didn't appreciate idiots or jokers on his team and he certainly didn't like Tony, he could see it in Gibbs eyes every time the glare was turned his way and he knew the other agents were betting on how long he would last. Miss Scuito the lab tech made her feelings clear by telling him he was nothing like Stan Burley, apparently she hated frat boys and jocks too. He avoided the lab as much as he could, only going when ordered to by Gibbs, he pulled his mask down tight all day and only showed his true face alone in the bullpen at night when he worked the case in the dark.

Tony knew he would die on the job, it was surprisingly calming to know, well calming until Gibbs smacked him on the top of his head even as his other hand pressed against his bleeding side and ordered him to open his eyes. He of course obeyed.

When he awoke in the hospital to find Gibbs still at his side he felt safe, if confused. No previous hospital visits had ever resulted in someone waiting with him, even as child in the sterile hospital room he had woken alone and afraid and it had stayed that way until the driver had collected him a week later. Tony had been four, the first mask had been made then. The hospital visit was not discussed again in his family but was repeated throughout his childhood.


	2. Chapter 2

Gibbs

Gibbs knew how people at work saw him and he continued to reinforce their opinion with his behaviour and attitude, truthfully they weren't that wrong, he was a bastard to most people even his friends at times. The people that worked with Gibbs knew without a doubt that despite the fact he was a bastard he would not rest until he found the bad guy and he didn't mind pushing the law to do it. It was testimony to his character that if anyone needed help they would go to Gibbs, they also knew if they screwed up it was a good idea to hide, Gibbs had high standards for his team, probably why he was currently the only member, most agents didn't last under Gibbs leadership either he had them transferred or they requested it.

When Gibbs came back from Baltimore bringing a local cop with him they started a book on how long the kid would last, Gibbs knew of course but he figured it might be a good thing to encourage the new agent, everyone liked a challenge. After a few weeks he started to rethink the plan, Abby who was still missing Stan was treating Dinozzo like the dirt on her boots and Gibbs personality was enough to drive anyone over the edge but the kid didn't say a word, he took every reprimand without flinching, every criticism and smack on the head with a joke or a 'yes Gibbs'. He knew Dinozzo came in at night to work, he was one of the best investigators Gibbs had met in a long time but during the day Gibbs swore the agent regressed fifteen years, the jokes and flirting pushed Gibbs to the edge of sanity and even he had to admit he might have made a mistake hiring him.

A month in and Gibbs found himself kneeling on the floor of a warehouse, trying to keep Tony awake as the blood seeped through his fingers. He had watched Tony goad the shooter, drawing his attention from the child he had taken hostage until she was clear, unfortunately Tony's personality made Gibbs want to shoot him most of the time so it didn't take much for the kidnapper to pull the trigger, Tony who whined over a paper cut didn't make a sound as Gibbs pushed hard on the wound, there was just a slight hitch in his breathing and a quiet 'sorry boss' when Gibbs yelled at him.

On the day he was to be discharged Gibbs arrived at the hospital to find his agent had already signed himself out two hours earlier, after promising not to yell at him Abbey had given him Tony's address and after three flights of stairs he found himself banging loudly on his agents door. His temper did subside slightly when a pale Tony opened the door but rose again when he looked at the barely furnished rooms and unopened boxes. It didn't look like he had even started to unpack and Gibbs found himself concerned that the young man was thinking of leaving.

He had sat at his agents side in the hospital room thinking about the man he had hired, Dinozzo who acted like a frat boy, who flirted with every women he met and Tony who came in at two in the morning to work a case alone, who linked the smallest things to solve a case, who told a man to shoot him to save a scared little girl. He stood in Tony's kitchen and watched the man sleeping, remembering the scars he had seen when they treated him in the emergency room he realised he had seen only glimpses of the real Tony under the mask he wore everyday.


	3. Chapter 3

Team

When Tony woke the first thing he saw was Gibbs sat in the chair next to the sofa, reading the paper and drinking his ever present cup of coffee. He shifted slightly swallowing down the jolt of pain in his side, his movement had drawn Gibbs attention and his boss was now staring at him with those hard blue eyes. Tony shifted his own eyes away, moving to sit he couldn't help the groan as the wound in his side reminded him of his own stupidity, Gibbs must me waiting for him to wake so he could fire him. The next thing he saw was a hand holding out some painkillers and a glass of water, he ignored the offered pills and moved to stand, swaying slightly he made his way to the bathroom, pausing in the doorway and without looking back he advised Gibbs his letter of resignation was on the side table.

Gibbs watched Tony leave the room before moving to find the envelope bearing his name, the letter was torn in half and thrown onto the couch before he settled back in the chair and waited for his agent to return. He wasn't going to leave this apartment until he was sure that Tony would be back at work, he was the first agent in a long time that Gibbs could see on his team as a permanent member. He had noticed when he grabbed the painkillers that the bottle was full and as Tony had left the hospital five hours earlier any pain medication in his system had definitely stopped working long ago. He heard the door open and watched Tony move back towards the couch, pausing slightly when he realised Gibbs was still there he eventually lowered himself slowly and sighed with relief, he noticed the bits of letter on the cushion beside him and for the first time he met Gibbs gaze. Gibbs held out the tablets again, pleased when this time Tony swallowed the pills with a quiet 'thanks boss'.

Tony lay back on the couch as the pain eased, he watched as his boss disposed of the envelope and letter, the weight on his chest easing for the first time. He allowed his eyes to close as sleep pulled at him, for a minute he thought he was dreaming when he felt a hand on his forehead until he opened bleary eyes and watched as Gibbs covered him with a blanket before retaking his seat. It was the first time in his life when he knew someone would be there, when he could sleep and not worry. When he woke again the chair was empty, his disappointment faded when he realised his boxes had been unpacked, his movies lined the shelves and even his television and sound system had been set up. As he sat up he realised there was another voice in his apartment, turning and looking towards the kitchen he saw Gibbs and Abby dishing out take away before coming to join him. Abby sat next to him, offering a plate and leaning against his good side, his new team mates witnessed the real smile of Tony Dinozzo.

Despite the protests of Ducky and Gibbs Tony was at his desk two days later, he had argued he was perfectly capable of doing paperwork and they had relented happy he was staying and wanting to keep an eye on him. The other agents in the office stopped by to welcome him back, he was still the same annoying playboy jock but he was also Special Agent Dinozzo, Tony and their respect was obvious, he had done a good job, put his life on the line and Gibbs was keeping him. Ducky won the office pool. Tony still wore his mask to work but it was lighter than before and not always in place. As a police officer he was always good at reading people but he had only now realised the glares Gibbs sent his way weren't always angry if you stopped to see the glint of humour in his eyes and the look that had previously been unreadable to Tony was in fact concern. He had found people to trust, maybe a family and one day he thought he could share with them more of his secrets, one day.


End file.
